According to a review from Consumer Reports, the 2021 Land Rover Defender has a few strengths, but the weaknesses may overwhelm the good elements of the vehicle.

The nonprofit reviewer admits that the

luxury SUV

is charming and quick, but it boasts controls that are frustrating to operate, an underwhelming fuel economy, and a high step-in height, all of which count against the 2021 Land Rover Defender where it matters.

This is what Consumer Reports had to say after driving the 2021 Land Rover Defender four-door 110 model.

The 2021 Land Rover Defender has a few key weaknesses according to Consumer Reports.

Weaknesses of the 2021 Land Rover Defender

All 2021 Defenders come standard with lane departure warning (LDW) and lane keeping assistance (LKA), but the steering wheel markers designed to activate these features are poorly-marked and confusing.

Consumer Reports writes

that the LDW’s steering-wheel warning vibration–which is meant to tell a driver that their vehicle is crossing a lane line–is barely noticeable.

Consumer Reports also writes that the LKA features lack clear descriptions in the menus and are poorly labeled on the steering wheel, and the LKA also did not perform well on the road.

The system didn’t give steering assist until it touched a lane line, at which point it would overcorrect so aggressively it would nearly ping-pong back into the opposite line.

Simply put, the fuel economy is underwhelming: only an estimated 18 miles per gallon overall, according to Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports also spoke at length about drivers’ inability to use the 2021 Land Rover Defender’s infotainment system. The touch screen is positioned too low on the dashboard to be truly comfortable to use, there is an obvious lag when navigating between menus, and the controls are largely challenging to use functionally.

One of the examples Consumer Reports raised occurs when trying to “favorite” an radio station. The system responds slowly when pressing the star button to favorite a radio station, which can then prompt the user to press the button again. This, of course, ultimately undoes the favorite.

Strengths of the 2021 Land Rover Defender

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The overall cabin space, as well as the flat rear seats, make the 2021 Land Rover Defender a solid choice for families. Rear and forward-facing child seats should be able to be installed securely, and children old enough for a booster seat should be able to buckle themselves in relatively easily.

The seats, by and large, appear to be one of very few elements of the 2021 Land Rover Defender that Consumer Reports praises. They write that the seats are comfortable and roomy, with tons of headroom and foot space in the back, and a comfortable, chair-like experience in the front.

Comparable luxury SUVs

For the price, Consumer Reports noted there were far too many drawbacks to the 2021 Land Rover Defender that earned it an overall score of 45 out of 100.

The 2021

Lexus RX L

and the 2021 Lexus RX both have similar price points to the 2021 Land Rover Defender, but rank significantly higher–an 82 out of 100 and 80 out of 100, respectively.

Whether the roomy seats and child-friendliness of the 2021 Land Rover Defender is enough to redeem its clunky controls and infotainment setup is up to the buyer. But if you ask Consumer Reports, you’re better off spending your money elsewhere.

Luxury Cars